


#15 Requiem

by gpadow



Category: Gunsmoke, Matt/Kitty
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-09-20
Updated: 2011-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-23 21:52:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gpadow/pseuds/gpadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>murder mystery with musical clues<br/>Doc's backstory</p>
            </blockquote>





	#15 Requiem

**Author's Note:**

> This story respectfully features characters and canon from the television series, Gunsmoke, which aired in 1955. They do not belong to me.

#15 Requiem, part I

Feb. 1st, 2010 at 11:41 AM

 

He knew everything was prepared. He smiled as he looked at the weathered portfolio tied with a faded ribbon, and hummed to himself the melody written on the pages within, as his mutilated hand stroked the worn leather. The first to die will be immortalized in my music.

He salivated in anticipation.  
Patience! They'll need time to search and fail.

 

###

"Festus, are you sure? Matt wouldn't ask you to make the rounds in weather like this," Kitty Russell said as she placed a hand on his arm.

"Fiddle, Miz Kitty. You done warmed me up with all that good whiskey and I'm a thinkin' ol Matthew is plum wore out after that long stage ride.

What's that he always says about it: like ridin' a sick cow."

The hillman giggled, recalling the expression Matt Dillon often used after having to unfold his long, lawman's body from a crowded stagecoach, and Kitty had to laugh, too.

Sam opened the outside doors to let Festus out of the saloon and a gust of cold wind and rain attacked them as a flash of lightning cut through the darkness like a knife.  
The barkeep quickly drew the doors closed and secured them tightly before folding the batwing doors.

"That's a nasty night, Miss Kitty."

His boss lady hadn't heard as she had already entered the office at the back of the saloon. Sam began to place chairs on tables when he heard a noise from Kitty's upstairs rooms. It sounded like something heavy had fallen. He was about to investigate when the redhead returned, carrying a ledger.

Another noise. This time they both heard.  
Kitty and Sam looked at each other and Sam went behind the bar to retrieve a pistol. He started slowly up the stairs with Kitty close behind.

Sam put his ear to the door, and then looked at Kitty. She could hear the rustling sounds within her room and nodded for Sam to open the door.

"Who's there!" Sam called out as he pushed the door open and aimed the gun at US Marshal Matt Dillon.

"Matt! What on earth are you doing?" Kitty shouted.

Matt Dillon looked up from the floor and grinned.  
The big oak table was turned over and one of the legs was beside it on the carpet. Matt was holding a hammer in his hand.

"You aren't going to shoot me, are you Sam?"

Sam realized he still had the gun aimed at the marshal and quickly brought it down at his side as a loud clap of thunder made him jump.

"I'm sorry, Marshal. I didn't know you were here ... I mean, we heard a noise and, well.."

Kitty directed a look of annoyance toward Matt.

"It's okay, Sam. I'll take care of the intruder."

###

Matt's eyes followed Kitty as she moved gracefully around the the room. She was aware that he was pretending not to notice while she removed her stockings and massaged her tired feet.

The redhead placed a silk negligee on the bed and began to undress. She glanced over at her man as he carefully replaced things on the uprighted table, and then smiled when he quickly turned his gaze away from her.

Kitty suddenly walked into the next room and closed the door. Matt could hear her checking the the iron kettles on the stove to see if they were filled with water. He knew Kitty liked to close the door to create steam when she settled in for a long bath.

Matt pushed his boots off with his toe, nearly loosing his balance as he wrestled out of his vest, pulling out shirttails, unbuttoning cuffs.

To Matt's surprise, Kitty returned a few minutes later wearing nothing but his light blue shirt.  
The long sleeves were rolled up and the front was unbuttoned to there.

Outside the window there was a sudden flash of lightning followed quickly by a loud clap of thunder.

Kitty was barefoot and her red hair fell down her back.

Matt took a deep breath, moistened his lips and tried to exhale evenly and slowly as he watched her move to the fancy little bench in front of her mirrored vanity.

He moved beside her and took the brush she held out for him. Matt straddled the bench, and with his left arm pulled Kitty so close that her leg slipped over his thigh, as the shirt rode up.

Kitty closed her eyes and smiled as Matt brushed her hair with his right hand while slipping his left hand into the shirt, where his long tapered fingers caressed her breasts.

"Ummm, welcome home, cowboy."

###

The spell of their intimate moment was disrupted by the sound of voices on the stairs.

"Are you sure it's important, Festus?"

"Golly bill Sam, do ya think I'd get ya to open the Long Branch if-in it weren't!"

Festus was purposely talking in a loud voice and practically stomping up the steps making his spurs jingle even more than usual.

Matt stood to tuck in his shirt while Kitty grabbed a frilly robe from the brass foot board.  
She started toward the door, pulling the robe around her as Festus knocked gently calling out, "Beggin' yer pardon, Miz Kitty."

Kitty opened the door and asked "What is it, Festus?"

"Jode Bright's girl Bessie has gone missin' and he come ridin' in to find Matthew. I left him over ta the jail and thought I'd check to see if maybe you knowed where .."

"He's here. Come on in, Festus," Kitty said as she stepped aside and held the door open for their friend.

Festus was soaking wet and shivering as he stepped into the room, holding his hat.  
He saw Matt pulling on his boots and said, "Howdy, Matthew. I sure am sorry to interrupt your evening like this."

Matt put his vest on while crossing the room to take his gunbelt from the peg by the door.

"I tried to talk ol Jode into waiting til morning, but he's got hisself mighty upset, Matthew."

"That's all right, Festus. You did the right thing finding me."

The lawman looked at Kitty as she handed him his Stetson. Another round of thunder and lightning made him turn toward the window.

"Well, boys, I'm going to bed."

"Night, Miz Kitty."

Matt looked from the window to Kitty, as she walked through the room toward the warm, comfortable bed.

 

###

Doc Adams peeled a hard cooked egg while Kitty poured them each another cup of coffee. There were only a few people in the Long Branch and the air was humid and stale after the stormy night.

Louie Pheeters came through the back door carrying three newly polished spittoons, which he placed at the bar, and then began to put the just-washed ashtrays on the tables. Doc watched the man as he wiped his hands on his apron and unsteadily made his way to their table.

"Why don't you take a rest, Louie," Kitty said. "Have you had anything to eat?"

"I'm fine, Miss Kitty, and I don't mind swampin' for you, you know that. Later I'll get some cheesecloth to collect them eggshells for the coffee."

"You always do a good job," Kitty said warmly.

The craggy faced man smiled then picked up the broom that was leaning against the bar and carried it onto the boardwalk where he began sweeping.

Doc shook his head and rubbed his hand over his mustache. "Amazing, just amazing."

"He just keeps going on doesn't he, Curly?"

"By thunder I don't know how.

Where's Matt this morning? Hank told me he and Festus rode off in the middle of the night during that storm. Must have been important."

"Jode Bright's daughter is missing. I was hoping they would be back by now with good news."

"Bessie isn't the kind of girl to run off, Kitty. She's been seeing that O'Bannon boy, but she'd never do anything to hurt her father.

"Maybe those two kids forgot about the time and then got caught in the storm.," Kitty reasoned.

"I hope that's all it is. By golly, Kitty, that little girl is the spitting image of her mother with her black hair and those big brown eyes. Jode thinks the world of her."

Kitty looked up and smiled as Matt came into the Long Branch carrying a rain slicker over his arm. He folded it over the back of a chair and placed his hat on the seat.

"Hello Kitty, Doc."

Even though he smiled at them, both Kitty and Doc could see evidence of how tired the lawman was by his limp and the way he leaned his folded arms on the table.

Kitty handed him a cup of coffee.

"Thanks, Kitty."

"Did you find her, Matt?" Doc asked.

"No we didn't, Doc."

"Well, did you ask Roddy O'Bannon?" Doc's voice rose. He sat back and took a sip of coffee. He knew Matt would have done everything possible to find the girl.

"You better get some rest," Kitty said.  
She wanted to stroke his brow and pull him to her, but the two just gazed at each other, sharing their thoughts.

"Festus is getting fresh horses ready. After we get something to eat we'll start out again."

Kitty's heart sank a little but she didn't say anything.

"What do you think happened, Matt?" Doc asked.

Matt reached for the slicker and removed a folded paper from a pocket. He placed it in the center of the table.  
Kitty and Doc leaned in to study the sheet of paper containing straight lines that had circles drawn over them.  
They looked at Matt with puzzled expressions.

"This was found wrapped around Bessie's hairbrush."

Kitty and Doc waited for more, then Doc finally said, "It looks like sheet music."

###

Kitty studied the paper and said, as much to herself as the two men, "..no treble and bass.. no clef.. whole notes I guess, umm, ..I'll try C major.."

The redhead stopped concentrating on the puzzle she held and looked into the startled faces of Matt and Doc.

"What?"

"Kitty, what are you talking about? You can't read music," Matt said.

"Says who?"

Matt and Doc grinned and nearly shared a wink, but thought better about it when they caught Kitty's fierce stare.  
She marched over to the upright and, holding the cryptic message in her left hand, hit some piano keys with the middle finger of her right.

"Damn. That can't be a melody," Kitty said as she looked down at the keyboard with her hands on her hips. She didn't notice Matt approach until he leaned against the piano as Doc walked over to frame the opposite side.

"Kitty, I know Chester taught you how to play the guitar a little, but that was years ago," Matt said.  
He smiled and thought he used a tender voice but Kitty wasn't having it.

"Don't patronize. There's a lot you don't know about me, mister."

The redhead picked up the hem of her skirt and spun away from them, taking the strange evidence with her as she headed up the stairs.

"What did I do?" a bewildered Matt Dillon asked.

###

The big marshal stood for a moment at the batwing doors of the Long Branch Saloon. He led Festus, Newly, and a some of the tired men that made up the search party up to the bar while he surveyed the room. She was not there.  
Sam motioned to the door of the office.

"These boys could use a cold beer, Sam."

"Sure thing, Marshal."

Matt started toward the office then stopped to watch Fred as his fingers danced across the keyboard of the upright piano. I wonder if Kitty showed him that paper.  
"Who is it?" Kitty called out in response to the knock.

The door slowly opened and a hand holding a Stetson poked into the office.

"Don't shoot, ma'am."

Kitty laughed out loud and a grinning Matt Dillon entered with his hands up.

They met in the center of the office with a big hug that quickly turned into a deep, wet kiss.

"I think you could use a drink, Cowboy."

The couple entered the saloon as Doc came in and motioned for them to join him at a table.

"Go ahead, Matt, I'll get the drinks."

Matt immediately noticed Doc's troubled expression. The old physician rubbed his hand over his mustache and reached into his pocket for an envelope that he tossed on the table in front of Matt.

Kitty joined them with a tray holding a bottle of whiskey and three glasses.

When they were all seated with their drinks, Matt opened the envelope and pulled out two folded scraps of paper. Rolled in each one was a lock of hair.

"Where did this come from, Doc?"

"I went to collect my mail and that was with it.  
And yes, I already asked, Matt. A young boy brought it in and asked that it be given to me with the mail."

"Somebody probably gave the lad a few coins to run the errand. Maybe he can describe the man for us."

"No one paid any attention to who the boy was, Matt. I already asked that, too."

Kitty had not spoken. She sipped her whiskey and examined the other rolled paper.

"This one is blond," she said. "And, they both are wrapped in the same musical notes."

Kitty looked at Matt and added, "If the black hair is Bessie's, than who does the lock of blond hair belong to?"

"And why did they send them to Doc?" Matt asked.

Doc looked toward the entrance and said, "Well, what in thunder are they doing in here?"

Matt and Kitty turned to find Max and Liv Swenson timidly walking toward them, hand in hand.

Matt and Doc stood up.

"Hello, folks," Matt said. "Are you looking for me?"

Max Swenson removed his hat and said in a low voice, "Marshal, we have come to ask you to find our Inger. She has not come home."

 

TBC


End file.
